The inventive subject matter described herein generally relates to gear that protects a body from impact forces and is particularly suitable for use in motor sports, including street and off-road motorcycling (including motocross), snowmobiling, and human powered or gravity sports, such as BMX bicycling, downhill mountain biking, and skiing. It may also be suitable for other sports and activities such as football, hockey, baseball, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, mountain climbing, and other sports or activities where there is a need to protect predetermined portions of a body from impacts.
Protective gear is commonly used in sports where a participant risks injury from accidental collisions with the ground, obstacles, or other participants. Additionally, protective gear can be worn to guard against occupational or injuries, such as hazards faced by workers in the forestry, construction, mining, and manufacturing industries. In certain respects, the inventive subject matter is directed to a protector for torso areas of the body, namely the chest, back, and shoulders. Protectors for the torso are commonly called a “chest protector” or a “roost deflector”. The inventive subject matter is particularly directed to a roost deflector for use in motocross and other moto-sports or other motion sports. Accordingly, the discussion herein will use a roost deflector to illustrate the inventive subject matter.
Protective gear is a critical component for amateur and professional motorcycle enthusiasts, and manufacturers often tailor such equipment for specific uses. Off-road motorcycle riding and racing present unique challenges for protective riding gear. Not only must the equipment protect riders in the case of falls and crashes, but it must accommodate the athletic movements of a rider while maneuvering in challenging and treacherous riding terrain features, such as dirt, rock, sand, water, mud, snow, trees, stumps, boulders, brush, etc.
In the prior art, roost deflectors consist of a hard-shell material formed of, for example, polycarbonate or polyethylene, with an inner liner of a cushioning or comfort foam material. Because these materials are relatively hard so that they are able to attenuate impact forces, they also tend to be relatively inflexible and block or impede movement of a user's joints and body parts. Consequently, to accommodate such movement, a roost deflector may have multiple components of hard material joined together along flexible lines that facilitate bodily movement. The separate components are typically joined using mechanical hinges, straps, or leather or textile joints, which are typically joined to components using fasteners or adhesives. There are inherent problems in using mechanical hinges or interfacing disparate materials. For example, there may be additional manufacturing steps and associated costs, breakage of hinges or interface materials, pressure points, etc.
In view of the foregoing, there is a substantial need for improved roost deflectors and other protective gear that are: (1) strong but which allow desired movement; (2) conformable to the anatomy; (3) lightweight; (4) cooler; (5) more comfortable to use; (6) made of unitary components or sections; and/or (6) aesthetically designable.